Extract from ABC News
Dozens of Republicans in former President George W Bush's administration are leaving the party, dismayed by a failure of many elected Republicans to disown Donald Trump after a deadly storming of the US Capitol last month.
Key points:
- Some Republicans have ended their party membership, others are letting it lapse or are newly registered as independents
- Roughly 60 to 70 former Bush officials have reportedly left
- Republican officials have recently indicated they are "having a spat" within the party at present
These officials, some who served in the highest echelons of the Bush administration, said they had hoped that a Trump defeat would encourage party leaders to move on from the former president and denounce his baseless claims that the November presidential election was stolen.
But with most Republican lawmakers sticking to Mr Trump, these officials say they no longer recognise the party they once served.
Some have ended their membership, others are letting it lapse while a few are newly registered as independents, according to a dozen former Bush officials who spoke with Reuters.
Kristopher Purcell, who worked in the Bush White House's communications office for six years, said roughly 60 to 70 former Bush officials have decided to leave the party or are cutting ties with it.
"The number is growing every day," Mr Purcell said.
The party is currently caught between disaffected moderate Republicans and independents bothered by the hold Mr Trump still has over elected officials, and Trump's fervently loyal base.
Without the enthusiastic support of both groups, the party will struggle to win national elections, according to polling, Republican officials and strategists.
The Republican National Committee referred Reuters to a recent interview its chair Ronna McDaniel gave to the Fox Business channel.
"We're having a little bit of a spat right now. But we are going to come together. We have to," Ms McDaniel said, predicting the party will unite against the agenda of President Joe Biden, a Democrat.
Representatives for Mr Trump did not respond to a request for comment.
A representative of former president George W Bush did not respond to a request for comment.
During the Trump presidency, Mr Bush made clear he had "retired from politics".
'It's appalling'
More than half of the Republicans in Congress — eight senators and 139 House representatives — voted to block certification of the election just hours after the Capitol siege.
Most Republican Senators have also indicated they would not support the impeachment of Mr Trump, making it unlikely that the former president won't be convicted in his Senate impeachment trial.
Mr Trump was impeached on January 13 by the Democratic-led House of Representatives on charges of "incitement of insurrection".
He is the only president to be impeached twice.
The unwillingness by party leaders to disavow Mr Trump was the final straw for some former Republican officials.
"If it continues to be the party of Trump, many of us are not going back," Rosario Marin, a former Treasurer of the US under Mr Bush, said.
Two former Bush officials who spoke to Reuters said they believe it is important to stay in the party to rid it of Mr Trump's influence.
One of those, Suzy DeFrancis — a veteran of the Republican Party who served in administrations including those of former presidents Richard Nixon and George W Bush — said she voted for Mr Biden in November.
But she believed breaking the party apart now would only benefit the Democrats.
"I totally understand why people are frustrated and want to leave the party. I've had that feeling for 4 years," Ms DeFrancis said.
But she said it was critical the party unite around Republican principles such as limited government, personal responsibility, free enterprise and a strong national defence.
Reuters
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